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Camp Life of a Union Soldier
Gear Soldiers carried with them a knapsack or a blanket, spare clothing, leather cartridge box (to hold extra rounds of ammunition), percussion caps (ignite powder), rifle or a musket, a bayonet, a haversack to carry food, and a canteen.
Bedding The tents used by the Union also known as “dog tents” were rectangular shaped canvases and easy to pitch. They used two rifles or a fence and string to hold up the canvas. At first only the Union soldiers had them but the Confederates would steal them from the camps.
Letters Sending letters home was a way to use up free time. Many soldiers who never left their families before would send their monthly pay home. Soldiers would also help fellow soldiers with reading and writing if they weren’t able to. Also, family members would send clothing and toiletries since such items were scarce.
Food Food was given out in rations. It consisted of salted pork, baked beans (which the leftovers were dried to make coffee), hardtack, rice, peas, and fresh beef if it was available. Soldiers would also combine their foods and make soups using their pork, beans, and hardtack.
Sickness Since bacteria wasn’t known, most deaths were caused by bacterial diseases.. Sick calls were played to call sick soldiers to the surgeon to be checked out. The places used as operating rooms and beds used for sick or injured soldiers were very unsanitary causing the soldiers to develope diseases.
Duties A day at camp would start at 5 a.m. in the morning and lasted until 9 p.m. at night. There was non-stop work on weapon handling and marching drills. Soldiers would also have daily chores assigned. Those chores included, collecting wood, caring for the horses, clearing fields for drills, and guard shifts.
Discipline Discipline was very important and very strict. If soldiers did not finish their camp duties they would be punished by making them clean out bathrooms and chop wood. Soldiers were also embarrassed if they did not follow orders or committed a crime. They would be forced to carry a log, stand on a barrel, or wearing a “label” of what they had done. If soldiers were caught murdering or spying they were usually shot and killed or hanged.
Entertainment Soldiers, during their free time would find ways to occupy themselves by playing instruments or playing sports. The musical entertainment consisted of banjos, flutes, and guitars, and sometimes regimental bands would come and perform. Sports played were soccer, cricket, wrestling, baseball, and snowball fights in the winter.
Religion Religion was important to most soldiers and they would attend church services. Some soldiers had small bibles to carry with them.
Clothes/Uniform The Union’s uniforms were usually blue and gray or volunteers wore whatever they had. They also wore a hat that showed their division and company along with wool pants, a gray flannel shirt under a wool coat, and leather shoes.
Link to Works Cited
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